Author's Note

I accidentally deleted this interlude when I was trying to delete a draft on here. Had to repost it.

Interlude I

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes. The room was silent, they were waiting. All of them waiting for an answer. An answer she didn't want to give and one Celestia had clearly neglected on giving in life. It appeared the late princess had done something right for her students in the art of diplomacy.

Now the issue was how to respond.

It does not mean we must tell them the truth the thought was whispered as the empress returned.

"Empress Luna", the stallion, the blonde one who had yet to introduce himself since his arrival with the rest of the court, said to her. "If you would please--"

"What would please us, is knowing the name of the one that speaks!" the alicorn snapped in interrupting reply. "Dost thou not understand the neccessities of simple etiquette? Or is that another thing she failed to do properly."

The frowns and glares she received were completely ignored. Nothing she hadn't seen before, nothing they weren't used to.

"Apologies", he dipped his head low, his initial frown vanishing as he crossed the wall of his allies and walked past Moondancer and Flash Sentry. "Forgive me for my earlier rudeness." He trotted with confidence, nose pointed with the head at a pompous angle. Somehow even she could see the cockiness, even with the height difference it was hard to miss.

"I, am Prince Blueblood", the prince bowed his head low. "It is an honor to meet you... ", but he didn't leave it at that, he also had to add, "Aunty."

A nipping chill flooded into the room the second her ears perked at those words. Wings twitched, the semi-tangible mane shifted unsteady as coat changed color and pupils dilated- shifted- changed then became narrow, as irises changed and teeth got sharper, as Nightmare Moon's nostrils flared and the Empress' coat grew blacker just as immediate as the scowl appeared.

"Aunty" the alicorn repeated dryly in yet again that haughty voice once her transformation was complete, in the single barely perceptible second it took to complete it. Spoken with distaste as the foul word rode on her tongue, launched from her lips and flew freely from her mouth. Glaring, the Nightmare rose from her seat before the row of stained windows, taking measured intimidating steps forward.

Blueblood said nothing. For several steps he trotted forwards, creating a minor distance between him and his allies as the others watched the interaction with halting breathe or narrowed eyes. He nodded to her statement, eyed her with an equal distant cold air she once eyed her subjects in what seemed like many lifetimes ago, and allowed only a small small smile to touch his lips as he looked up to her when he came to his stop at a few feet away.

"I was beginning to think we would never meet, matriarch", came the genuine reply with a genuine warm smile.

For some reason, this angered her. Not only did he use a no doubt now dead form of greeting to mock her, he did it openly in public. No matter, it shall serve well, as a welcoming distraction to avoid answering a question she had no intention of answering she took it.

In a fraction of a second Nightmare Moon became stardust, surged forward, and just before she could reach the unicorn that was awaiting his possible-death sentence and failing in vain to scramble away to make his escape as she closed the gap, a shield emerged in front of Blueblood.

She slammed into it like it was a wall and almost instantly Shining Armor gritted his teeth as all of his legs trembled from the sheer force of that impact.

"Foolish colt", the Nightmare spoke through the balls of light in her nebula wisp form. Her voice echoed across the hall and as it did so did the doors groan open in their mechanic operations as guards began to pour in. "I will teach you proper manners when speaking to your elders."

"What did you do that for?!" Sunset Shimmer yelled as Nightmare Moon's gaseous body slammed into the shield again, causing cracks to splinter around the impact point.

"In my defense I was not expecting this sort of reaction!" came Blueblood's equal retort.

Shining Armor grunted then gasped for air. He breathed in sharply as the shield was hit a third and fourth time in rapid succession, one leg buckling under the force as blood began to dribble down his nose. Guards of all three branches were shouting in the background at the specter now. They kept yelling warnings, spouting off that they would retaliate if she did not back down.

"Use the Elements!" Spike called out in midst of the growing alarm.

WHAM! Shining growled at the hit, forcing himself to hold out.

"We're trying!" Applejack shouted.

WHAM another line of blood trailed out from his other nostril, cracks forming across the shield.

"They're not responding!" Twilight shrieked in growing panic.

"WHAT?!"

A dark laugh came from above as the stardust form of the Nightmare was now being hit with spell after spell from the unicorns of the Cosmic Storm. Spells she either dodged bonelessly in her gaseous form or allowed portions of herself to expand and allow the shots of magic to sail past her and into the rose colored shield behind.

"Stop firing!" Tempest Shadow barked to the panicking troops. "You're hitting the Emperor's--"

A tiny opening in the rose colored shield was all she needed to slip through. Blueblood stood firm if only a moment's hesitation as she came shooting towards him.

"Get out of the way Blueblood!" Pinkie shouted.

He got one word out before the Nightmare set upon him.

"No."

She was out like an arrow.

Flowing through the cracks she streamed after him. Racing forwards madly like a mare on a mission.

Shards of violet fell around her as Shining Armor collapsed and the shield broke up and vanished with his focus.

How dare he speak to us in that manner?! One of the voices challenged.

How dare he speak to us as if our title still matters?! the other voice yelled mentally in agreement as the mass of gas writhed and swirled around him.

"You are either very brave..." the Nightmare's voice whispered quietly in the cyclone she had created to separate them from the rest. "...or you are very foolish."

"I'm skilled in my theatrics", came the living prince's calm reply from the heart of the storm. "You would know something about that wouldn't you, Aunty?"

Even as the mass of glowing lights zoomed by in the streams of space dust, flaring brightly like angry red fire flies, Blueblood kept his cool. His mane whipped wildly around him as did his tail and from the brief flickers outside the cyclone walls, where wind beat on everyone and shook the region around them, he could just barely make out the others.

"You truly wish to die, don't you?" the dark specter stated, reclaiming his stolen attention. In the distance the others watched through squinted eyes as the prince's form was partially obscured by streams of dark purple and violet nebula, the glittering lights of red dwarf stars twinkling in time with the throes of Nightmare Moon's rage as wind pushed back in all directions forcing many to cast magic on the hooves of themselves and their allies to prevent them from being pushed back.

"You wouldn't dare." The fool challenged.

"Arrogant colt", her hiss echoed, carried by wind. A piece of the gas broke forward and Nightmare Moon's face formed out of the swirling space dust to level a withering glare. "What makes you think I won't?"

"History." Was the cryptic and oddly confident reply. "You won't, your cornered and you won't take a risk like this unless you see a narrow opening to strike from."

Snarling, the stars flared brighter. "And you aren't one of these openings?"

"You won't", his eyes now matched her leveled glare. "If you wanted to you would have. But you're more intelligent than that aren't you demon" He stated, tossing his chips in. "Besides I have something the empress wants, so you won't, and do you know why spirit?"

The sheer audacity of this stallion. She couldn't believe she was hearing this, let alone letting anypony- or anyone for that matter, talk to her in this way. The sheer absurdity of entertaining this level of mortal arrogance amused her.

Laughing a cackle of sarcastic glee mixed with anger serrated teeth glinted in her own light as the floating face grinned. "And what could you possibly have against me that spares you from being a expendable pawn in this game?"

He smirked, it was small but it was there, and this only made the voice in Nightmare's head snarl in anger as the face mirrored the rage with a glower.

"It's simple really", he sniffed confidently, "I'm a son of Royal Bronze."

The grin faded, the eyes widened. Nightmare Moon stared in shock as her cyclone died down and the world stopped shaking and the wind stopped screaming and the voice in her head started shrieking in agony.

LIAR it shouted. What twisted lies had Celestia given her students to use as weapons against them this time? How long had they known of her return? How long had they been planning to counter their appearance? What demented madness and insult was this? She had always played to win but this? This insult? Of all the cruelness of even speaking such a name to them of all entities--

Bubbling waves of anger washed over her and the scream in her mind intensified demanding bloodshed. With a violet tendril Nighmate Moon lashed out, consenting to the voice's request with great satisfaction. Going for the throat.

Gagging he choked out "...no...wait...more time..."

More tendrils struck out lifting the prince up into the air. The forelegs, the hind legs-- "You dare..." Nightmare said coldly, the cold tendril biting into his skin through the touch-- the barrel, hooves, horn-- "YOU INSOLENT CHILD!"

"His letters!" the Prince croaked out on fleeing air.

The tendril around his throat suddenly slackened.

"...w-what", the voice said quietly. Disbelief. He noted it and filed it away. He had played this game the longest. Longer than Cadence, Twilight, Trixie, Shining Armor, and Sunset put together. It had been his heritage before his title, and it was his life after. He knew the game. Dangle something tantilizing and catch them looking at the hoof's stretch prize and you had them right where you wanted them.

Right now, he had her right where he needed her.

Blueblood looked into the eyes and found her staring at him. Anger and disgust, hatred and distaste was all he found in copious amounts. The being before him were like the nobles he had encountered in his early days of training under Fancypants and the Princess. They wore masks but in truth they were cunning, sly, and very willing to ruin you if you crossed them or angered them in any manner at all.

But. There was desperation. A plea. A small glint in those unholy slits of a serpent that gazed back at him with some horribly vague recognition of mortal empathy in there somewhere.

He coughed, feeling the tendril leave his throat, and focused only on her.

"His letters." He said after a time. Trying his best to ignore the distorted shouting he could barely hear over the wind. "The Princess saved them. Aunty Celestia kept them safe. You would know because you taught him the magic. To be able to read or see it, to be able to open the chest he kept them in, you had--"

"--you had to share a bond of blood. A bond as powerful as my sister and I had once been", the Nightmare spoke and the eyes moistened.

Then they narrowed. "Lies." The tendrils tightened around his legs, he gritted his teeth as the pressure grew. Pain lanced through him, bones pressing beyond their normal limits of flexibility--

"No", his lips moved through the clench of his teeth, "not yet!" he ordered.

"Who do you speak to that feeds you this knowledge to break our guard?!" winds howled.

"I have...a letter!" Magic ignited but died just as quickly. Irritation touched his eyes through the pain. To let fear show was to give her leverage against him.

"Let me...use my magic!"

"Never!" the Nightmare hissed.

"You are..." he grimaced, "...being stubborn...like a foal!"

"Silence!"

"Let me prove it to you!" the pain was becoming too much, "If I'm lying you can...kill me!"

She went silent. The swirl slowly died, the tendrils evaporated, the wind no longer howled, the pieces amalgamated, and the bodies touched the ground.

Nightmare Moon eyed the prince silently. She ignored the horns ignited and aimed at her as if they were toys. Her eyes locked on to Sunset then Twilight who eyed her with glares and looks of caution.

"He has made a promise. He will keep it. Fetch your folly impudent colt. For this gamble you play will be your last." Saying nothing else, the Nightmare went as still as a statue.

Blueblood wavered in pain. He swayed side-to-side, then a pegasus, one of the ones that had been standing in the back with him- moved to support him. Breathing heavy he took a moment. When he looked down and looked at him, the light orange pegasus smiled slightly. Whispering a gracious thanks in his twitching ear the pegasus levelled the alicorn before him a sour glare, Blueblood's horn ignited as magic channeled through and with a glow of his horn and a few seconds of concentration a chest appeared before them all; right in the center, between him and the Nightmare.

Wood polished, metal glinted from the light shining from above. A emblem emblazoned on the latch. Above it on the lid a hoof shaped print where one could lift the top made itself known. On the latch there was a sword of bronze that held the hilt of a jeweled crown.

"His mark", the Nightmare nodded numbly with little else as a reaction. "You have proven you have it", she intoned. "Now prove it is real."

Pushing himself off his pegasus companion, the Prince staggered forward. Every step was another lance of pain that made his body ache even more. What should have been less than a second's walk lasted several seconds longer. Finally he made it towards the chest. Lifting his hoof a voice interrupted him.

"Blueblood", Cadence stepped forward, confusion written on her face. "What is this?"

"Proof", he smiled. And then turning back to Nightmare Moon, levelling a defiant look in his eye while his expression remained neutral he stuck his hoof in the hoof print.

Blueblood's hoof sunk in, he winced as something happened, and then with a gasp from those watching the prince dripped blood over the cutie mark lock from his weeping hoof.

Fluttershy moved forward instantly with Moondancer and the two nursed the bleeding Prince as lock collapsed into itself and with a hiss, the chest cracked open.

Ignoring the attention to his wound he lifted the top and pulled out a single letter with his magic before magicking the chest away.

"His fieldscript." He levitated the letter to her.

Silently Nightmare Moon took it, her aura field calm as she gently grasped the letter and read the entry of someone she knew long ago.

As she dropped it, her coat turned to a different, lighter color. Empress Luna stared at Prince Blueblood with moist eyes that she tried to blink away.

"You really are..." her words trailed off. Stopping before the tremble found a way in. She turned her head away, biting her lip painfully as her eyes scrunched with the passing of regretful realization.

"Yes, Aunty" he sighed with relief then smiled sadly as the pegasus from before moved to steady his trembling stand, "...I am."

"Will someone tell us what the fuck is going on?!" Rainbow Dash finally shouted.

"Royal Bronze.... A name I have not heard in a long time. Before Celestia and I took the throne, we married. It was tradition, and a way to maintain an image after the Age of Chaos. What better way to do that then marry the heroes into the family?" Luna chuckled, remembering a different time. "We were wed into the most powerful families that were in charge", she swallowed, scowled at the tears and looked away with a sour look aimed at the floor. "We married into Platinum's lineage. And if history has not been altered then--"

"Both you and the Princess had children..." Twilight's eyes widened.

"Yes", the voice grew tired with the sigh. "More than once did we give birth throughout our time before the The Two was made. Celestia married Lord Magnesium, the heir to the shambles of a throne Discord's rule had left it in. While I...I married Prince Steel, the younger brother and primary force to keeping the other nobles in line."

"He...you had foals before his assassination?" Sunset voiced the disbelief.

"No... I gave birth to Prince Argon's foals", the empress spat in contempt at the name.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash shouted, clearly getting frustrated. "What does this have to do with you trying to kill Blueblood!"

"He called us matriarch", the Empress replied as if that was enough, though the regret in her actions was somewhere in the look she cast his way before averting her gaze.

Bristling, just as she was about to open her mouth again, Sunset stepped in to cut Rainbow Dash off.

"In the old days", Sunset began "mares were more common to succeed the House than a stallion. If a family had no daughters the sons would inherit it by default, unless that family had no foals at all then by tradition whether male or female the sibling or first cousin of the heir would inherit the throne or in other cases it would be divided between them."

"Oh! Trixie knows this! Back when the female ratio had been steadily increasing!"

"Yeah" Moondancer nodded slowly. "When female successors were becoming more common in Queen Platinum's time."

"Back then, the title of Matriarch was used as a term of respect. The crown were the matriarch of society, of the nation", the Empress' calm voice informed. "Those that led their line to glory or prestige were known as the Matriarch; the head. Her word was law" Luna informed, her eyes glued to the floor on her left. A distant, sad look over her features.

Frowning, Twilight continued. "It was also used often between relatives of the same House or between other nobles to the senior figures of a noble of another house as a sign of recognition and respect."

"So...what? You got mad Blueblood was showing you some respect?" Pinkie was the one that asked.

Eyes narrowing the Empress turned her head to shoot the earth pony a glare before it faded with a sigh, her coat shifting away from the dark color it was becoming as her temper faded.

"Royal Bronze was a noble of the House of Royal Coats. I'm sure you are all aware of the Decade Rebellion of Baltimare? The conflict fought between several noble houses and the royal crown over the laws applied to the throne when Prince Heft, began to start an uproar among the nobility over Celestia and I as rulers?"

There were a round of nods.

"During that time he was able to gather the aid of the both the descendants of Pyre Pipe, Heated Edge, and Fire Blossom; a few of Celestia's children as well as the descendants of three of my own. Over time, as we married and our husbands and children passed on while we continued to rule as decades passed...we gained power. The rebellion was done by those who wished to overthrow us because" she snorted in mockery, her coat shifting a shade darker, "and we quote: "No nation should have rulers that hold all the power of the throne and refuse to share it equally with their peers.""

The pause was broken by Flash Sentry saying: "...what?"

"He tried to throw a rebellion because my...because Celestia and I were immortal." The shocked looks got a raised brow.

"What?!" Twilight shrieked.

"You can't be serious..." Rarity said with disbelief.

"Oh believe us you shall", the empress stated, her eyes looking at Blueblood's just as surprised expression before turning to observe the rest of the stunned room. "That is exactly why it happened."

"Wow", was the only thing Tempest could say. She snickered. "And I thought I had problems."

"B- b-but" it took a few seconds for Twilight to get her words. Particularly a combined pat on the back by Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike. "THAT'S INSANE!" The stomp and tail lashing really emphasized this.

"Star Swirl said the exact same thing." She smiled wistfully.

"Still doesn't tell us what this has to do with Royal Bronze", Applejack stated.

"Royal Bronze was my great-great-grandson. Of my progeny, he was the one who first called me matriarch and meant it with all the love of a son to a mother and not some figure you bowed to. The union between I and the son of a small king in Southern Equestria, Prince Calm Breeze was the beginning of his lineage. Their House was the youngest of many. And despite the pressure from all the other nobles, even when our own children began betraying us, he stayed loyal. He fought to defend our honor when it would have been so much easier to side with those who desired a change in power, he never betrayed Tia or I. He instilled that into his whole family, and they suffered bitterly for it."

"The battles", Shining Armor said soberly.

"Yes", the Empress responded as her eyes looked back to Blueblood. "Overtime Prince Heft began losing support when the Diarchy began our own rebuttal, so before he lost more, he waged a rebellion. Apparently his great grandfather took it very personal when Celestia and I kindly rejected his offer of taking our hooves in marriage. Felt it brought shame to their whole family line to be rejected by the heroes of the nation. Especially when he made it so public." Luna shook her head sadly as she continued. "And when the rebellion was fought in Baltimare, the House of Royal Coats was the first to rise to our support, and suffered great losses for it. Royal Bronze among them."

"We're sorry, empress. That must have been very hard on you and the Princess."

Luna's eyes narrowed. Staring silently at Fluttershy the contest of who would look away first began but it was Luna who grimaced when she couldn't bare to stare at the face anymore. "We do not need thou pity." She spat. "Though he and his descendants suffered while we could do little, it seems his spawn somehow survived through time." Her eyes looked back to Blueblood, and before moisture could truly rise she turned away and sighed.

Nothing was said for a time, before the squirming pink earther finally dragged the Empress' attention from her musings on Blueblood.

"What?" she asked curtly.

"Welllll, I just kind of recalled you didn't really answer our previous question...hehe"

The tense jaw was a clear sign she didn't like where this was going.

"Do remind us what that was." One could not help but notice the coat did get darker when she was glaring.

"Oh! Well that's easy, Twilight was asking who Aoi Ioa was!"

The pause was audible. Finally, she relented.

"Fine. For the knowledge Royal Bronze lives on, we shall grant the request you desire..."

You are aware of the legends. The tales of our time and legends of an even greater past. How when Discord emerged he wrought chaos and suffering. How we emerged then, hundreds of alicorns moving across the world to aid nations to reclaim order during his reign.

How in darkness, even before he came to rule, there were those who met many of my kind. Stories of alicorns appearing in the past to stop ancient evils, whether they be new, old or one of our own.

One of the most belittled of the oldest legends you have dates back nine-thousand years ago, where the legends of Grogar the Sorcerer first sprouted. The beliefs of our civilizations even then were believed distant and unknown to many till his reign upset the world and brought us out of our hiding. The stories of how we fought him along side every species. How we battled him and his followers for centuries to millennia before the world finally knew peace and balance once more.

Alongside those stories, there were others. We are certain you have heard it. As foals. In tutelage. In tombs of mythos. Scrolls that have spun rumor to fact and history. Of other beings that helped from civilizations just as...forgotten and lost.

Dragons that knew magic. Nay, not like the few of this time. But dragons that knew magic. Dragons twice the size of the largest dragon you've ever known.

The stories of ancient past of those that taught magic to the unicorns, the old Minoauxs, and many species across the world. The tales of those that reached out to the stars with one massive claw to help push the Sun and Moon.

From these legends there are many species mentioned. One of them, is the one Aoi descended from. A civilization not even Celestia and I had ever known personally.

They called themselves Tailed. We will not discuss why.

The Tailed were one both Celestia and I came to know in time. Though we never travelled to their home, they were one we interacted with frequently.

Their kind and our own...we...did not often get along.

Like Aoi, Hinata, our dear friend, was a Tailed. It was Hinata that dealt the final blow to Aoi when we traversed the bubbling oceans that were filled with nothing but cider to the lands that are now known as Inujima.

Aoi Ioa, was...a very greedy sapient. I did not know her long, our interactions before Discord were short and the relationship between her, Celestia and I was not as personal as Hinata, so I shall tell you little but what I came to know of was her skill and in truth, I respect it.

She was a genius in strategy. That she cut off all means of communication with Minos and maintained an attacking force against the stronger forces of Queen Rashida with small groups sounds exactly like something she would do. She was a brilliant tactician, even we must admit it. And the only reason we believe thee to still draw breath is because of the Elements, as well as her own subordinates betraying one another, and luck. For luck seems to have followed you throughout that journey clearly. And if these stained glass tell the truth of your lives, then you have been truly lucky not one Bearer has yet to die.

Or the majority of you have not suffered worse.

Aoi Ioa, much like us, according to Hinata had once moved to help the ancestors of those in Inujima. However, she strayed. Once some form of stability was attained she moved to conquer the nation for her own and bring about her own reign.

Hinata had said it was a cultural thing, one she did not agree with. The point is, she allowed greed to consume her. And in that greed we were drawn to help. It is because of her we met Hinata.

And it is because of her the Hinata islands exist.